M-100

I have some gun powder, pyrodex muzzleloading propellant, I have visco fuse. Now I need to know how to make a great M-100 or M-80, can anyone give me the plans, please do not give me something you have not done yourself. Thanks guys:cool:

— Posted by Zero the Inestimable on 3:39 pm on Mar. 21, 2002

This is taken directly from my upcoming work, the Tome of Small Salues (available once I finish the bloody thing!):

Rolling Tubes

For a multitude of pyrotechnic purposes cardboard tubes are an essential. However, finding suitable tubes isnt always easy or even possible. Thus it is sometimes necessary to make your own.

Materials – Several lengths of suitable paper, preferably grocery bags, preferably precut. The width of the paper required depends on what sort of tube you want to make. Narrow strips will make good M-80 style tubes, and wider ones make good rocket engines and quartersticks. – One bottle of glue, suitable for bonding paper. I use Elmers Glue All, but there are others that are certainly more picky about this sort of thing than me.

Equipment – Scissors. – A razor or hobby knife. – Something to roll your tubes around like a wooden dowel or rod of some sort. It should be the same size as you want the inside diameter of your tube to be.

Procedure 1. It is recommended that you precut your strips of paper. Do so, if you havent already. 2. Place your paper flat on a table or other surface. Place your rolling dowel on the far (narrow) end of the paper and roll the paper around the dowel until the end meets the rest of the paper. Adjust it so its as square as possible, if you have to. I find the best way to do this is to roll the paper loosely around the dowel and then tuck it underneath to get it nice and even. 3. Put down a line of glue along the part where the paper-wrapped dowel and the remainder of the paper meet. Roll the dowel and attached paper towards you until youve run over the line of glue. 4. Make a zigzag of glue all the way down the rest of the paper until you reach the end. Your glue lines shouldnt be more than of an inch or so apart. 5. Roll the dowel all the way down to the end of the strip of paper. Try to keep at least one end of your tube-in-progress square. 6. Once youve reached the end of the strip, pull the tube off of the dowel. If you have to, push the layers of paper up or down to get the whole thing even. 7. Draw another line of glue along the very edge of your strip of paper, which is likely not glued down all the way. Smooth it down with your finger until it sticks there. 8. If you want to make your tube stronger and thicker, repeat these steps with another sheet of paper. 9. Leave your tube to dry 12 hours or so before you attempt to use it.

Tubes made out of grocery bag paper in this manner are quite strong and suitable for a multitude of purposes. For M-80 style salutes, a half inch diameter and one to one and one half inch long tube is preferable. For rocket engines and quartersticks, a three quarter inch diameter and three to five inch tube works well. Bottle rockets and small firecrackers work well with quarter inch diameter tube. If you want you can make one long tube and cut it into several smaller ones with a hacksaw after it dries.

M-80s, Water Putty Method

M-80s are among (if not the) most recognized firework of all time. Though they have been banned in many areas, it is quite possible to make your own. This article deals with an original method of constructing M-80s Water putty is indeed interesting stuff. It makes fairly strong endcaps in less time than most glues take to dry, and is dirt cheap to boot.

Materials – A cardboard tube, about an inch wide by 1 to 1 inches long. It should be a fairly heavy tube. (See: Rolling Tubes) – Some water putty. Available at hardware stores. – A length of fuse. Visco or cannon fuse is preferred, but any should do. – An explosive to fill your M-80 with. Flash powder is preferred, and black powder comes in second. – A tissue. – Some wax paper or tinfoil.

Equipment – A drill or something with which to make holes.

Procedure 1. Cut your tube to length, if you have not done so already. 2. Drill a hole just large enough for your fuse in the center of the tube. 3. Place your tube on end on the wax paper. Mix up a batch of water putty and fill your tube up a good quarter to third of an inch. Pack it down. Allow half an hour or so for the putty to dry a bit. I suggest making several tubes during this time. 4. Once your water putty is dry enough to stay put, place your fuse in the hole in the tube. 5. Pour in enough explosive to reach the fuse. 6. Wad up a small piece of a tissue and pack it into the tube. The goal of this is to keep your explosive from getting all wet from the water putty, so pack it in good. 7. Fill the rest of the tube up with water putty. Pack it down. Allow to dry a good 24 hours before using.

Light and enjoy.

M-80s will explode with a substantial bang if they are prepared properly. M-80s hold much more explosive than other firecrackers, and their power is not to be trifled with. They can be dangerous if not used responsibly. Do not allow an M-80 to go off in your hand. M-80s are moderately waterproof. They may function underwater, if they are sealed well enough, though they usually float instead. M-80s are thoroughly illegal in most areas.

In addition to rolling your own, you can find tubes as fax paper rolls, adding machine rolls, and the cores of roll up windowshades.

(This is all original work. Steal it without giving me credit and may the skies open up above you and the filth of a thousand seagulls fall upon your head.)

~Zero the Inestimable

— Posted by chemical rxn on 6:33 pm on Mar. 21, 2002

Used model rocket engines are also good sources of cardboard tubes. Small but fun.

— Posted by brainwave on 7:22 pm on Mar. 21, 2002

thanks guys, anyone know any more ways, agin dont post if you have not done it.:cool:

— Posted by pyroman on 9:51 pm on Mar. 21, 2002

first of all get flash powder because it is better second of all use 1 1/2 ” pvc pipe for the casing and third of all reinforce it with 12 gauge wire by wrapping it around the CAPPED tube Use pvc glue to cap it. drill a small hole in the cap before you glue it on and only fill the tube up about 1/2 way. there you have like a m300 ” I have done this and it will shake the eath around you

— Posted by XxBULAxX on 11:03 pm on Mar. 21, 2002

pyroman, this will also create potentionally deadly shrapnel..I wouldn’t use PVC…….It breaks in to sharp pieces

— Posted by brainwave on 1:06 pm on Mar. 22, 2002

ya but were can i get flash powder on the net without id, i tried pyrotek they dont have any>:cool: thanks guys

— Posted by OoxHighVoltagexoO on 3:49 pm on Mar. 22, 2002

Correct me if Im wrong …Which I may be but…Isnt most of the stuff needed to make flash powder or other explosives sold seperately on Pyrotek? Oh by the way..Never order from ScienceAlliance.com…I gave em all my info and never got my shit..I wasnt billed but its still my info floating around on the net somewhere…PEACE

— Posted by brainwave on 4:50 pm on Mar. 22, 2002

flash powder is not sold on pyrotek, but i now know were to get it, but i still needed the planes:cool:

— Posted by pyroman on 5:43 pm on Mar. 22, 2002

just make it yourself

— Posted by brainwave on 6:21 pm on Mar. 22, 2002

pyroman do you even know how dangerous it is to make it youself, plus I thought I said do not post it unless you have tried it:cool: and idont think you have, but if you have, good for you:cool:

— Posted by brainwave on 9:35 am on Mar. 23, 2002

all I have right now is gun powder, is that any good?:cool:

— Posted by Zero the Inestimable on 8:12 pm on Mar. 24, 2002

You don’t buy flash powder. You make it. There are dozens of formulations; Run a search.

As far as “gunpowder” goes, it depends. Fine black powder or pyrodex will work. Smokeless powder will not. I suggest using flash powder for firecrackers as well, but the materials for it aren’t always available to accomodations have to be made for using other explosives.

~Zero the Inestimable

— Posted by johnny 99 on 8:32 pm on Mar. 24, 2002

Actually, you can buy both flash powder, and flash paper. try a good magic supply shop in your area. but I haven’t looked for it on the internet. don’t know if they would mail it to you.

— Posted by brainwave on 9:09 pm on Mar. 24, 2002

thanks johnny, I did find a place on the net to buy all the stuff I need, there is no magic or hobby shop near me, im am also into magic tricks, I can make a lit cig vanish right before your eyes, just to let you know its really cool; email me and ill tell you how.:cool: briantfelt@mlmhelp.com

— Posted by jmb1125 on 10:50 pm on Mar. 24, 2002

That surprises me, johnny. I didn’t think any place sold flash powder. I wouldn’t think they would ship it, but who knows. It’s considered to be the most high-energy of all the deflagrating (non-detonating) compositions.

Ok, so you feel you have to make it? Start by doing this: Order the book on flash from skylighter.com. The book is $18.00 u.s. Then read it. Don’t cut corners, do the homework. Know your business. Then, and only then, you may proceed. 🙂

— Posted by brainwave on 12:20 pm on Mar. 25, 2002

jmb, i did find a place in the net to buy flash powder, and magic shops do sell it but i have none around me.:cool:

— Posted by jmb1125 on 7:03 pm on Mar. 25, 2002

Order the book. You don’t even have to be 21. 😉

— Posted by johnny 99 on 8:40 pm on Mar. 25, 2002

Where on the net braiwave? thanks.

— Posted by Zero the Inestimable on 8:59 pm on Mar. 25, 2002

Magic shop flash powder (and flash paper) are nitrated materials, designed to put out a lot of light but lousy for burst charges. You are perfectly welcome to try, but I think your dollar is better spent elsewhere.

~Zero the Inestimable

— Posted by jmb1125 on 12:40 am on Mar. 27, 2002

Well if all they are is nitrated shit, then they probably suck. Order the book.

— Posted by brainwave on 12:27 pm on Mar. 27, 2002

z11pyro.com is were you can get flash powder on the net johnny99.:cool:

— Posted by johnny 99 on 2:51 pm on Mar. 27, 2002

OK. Thank you brainwave. I’ll have to see if I can get it cheaper there.

— Posted by brainwave on 8:58 pm on April 6, 2002

thanks guys they worked ok.:cool:

— Posted by paladinpress on 10:01 pm on April 6, 2002

That place looks like they might ripp you off how much do you trust that site looks a little homemade